The National Youth Authority (NYA) has announced that it will be honouring President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo with the Star of the Youth of Ghana Award in recognition of his exemplary leadership and numerous interventions in the affairs of the youth of the country.
The Award will be conferred on the President at this year’s International Youth Day Celebration, scheduled to take place on August 10, 2022.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, 2nd August 2022, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of NYA, Pius Enam Hadzide noted that the youth of Ghana recognise that under his leadership, President Akufo-Addo has initiated a comprehensive agenda to elevate the stature of the youth in the crucial sectors of education and employment.
He says the introduction of the free SHS policy which has removed the financial inhibition to secondary education and reduced the rate of qualified JHS leavers, and the guarantor-free policy which is further increasing access to tertiary education for the youth are some laudable interventions for the youth.
“Beyond education, the industrialization agenda as seen through policies such as 1D1F and the sustained investment in TVET and the entrepreneurial spirit of the Ghanaian youth is grooming a new class of young Ghanaians as job owners and creators as opposed to jobseekers”.
He adds that “the YouStart initiative which seeks to inject some 10 billion Ghana Cedis into the youth of Ghana within the next three years for instance would create an estimated 1 million jobs.”
The bold decision to construct 16 regional Youth Resource Centers, ten of which are currently under construction, is also worthy of note.”
The NYA CEO averred that aside from all these programmes and interventions, President Akufo-Addo has also brought young people into his cabinet and around the decision-making table by appointing young men and women to positions of importance”.
He said they included “the Minister for Youth and Sports, Mustapha Ussif; the Minister for Justice and Attorney General, Godfred Dame; the Minister for Works and Housing, Francis Asenso Boakye; the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, the Minister for the Western North Region, Richard Joojo Obeng; through to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives”.
International Youth Day
The 54th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly adopted Resolution 54/120 to set aside August 12 as the International Day of the Youth in recognition of the enormous contributions of the youth to community and national development.
According to him, Ghana through the National Youth Authority and the Ministry of Youth and Sports will participate in this year’s global celebration of the youth in a remarkable manner.
Ghana has commemorated the Day in years past to draw attention not only to the challenges and aspirations of the youth but also to amplify the creative solutions being formulated to deal with the challenges whiles at the same time highlighting the opportunities therein for the youth.
The final Sustainable Development Goal, Goal 17, recognises that the realisation of the 2030 Agenda hinges on various sectors and actors working hand in hand and sharing their financial resources, knowledge, and expertise.
The event is scheduled to begin from August 10-12, 2022, and will have activities such as the Maiden National Youth Conference, National Youth Policy Launch, and National Youth Policy Dissemination Forum.
It will be held at the Anagkazo Bible and Ministry Training Center at Akwapem Mampong under the auspices and distinguished patronage of H.E. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.
